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Everything you could ever want to know about how to set up a Home Theater! You can find out more about Home Theater, High-End Audio, and Acoustics in the following books: (click on the title for additional information)
See also the DVD disc that no Home Theater enthusiast should be without...
This document is maintained by Anthony W. Haukap The current version of this FAQ document can always be found on my website at: In an attempt to assemble a Home Theater I searched the web and found very little information on what makes something suitable for use in a Home Theater. In doing research I have assembled this collection of my own experiences and current setup, in an attempt to establish some guide lines that will give you an idea of what to look for when selecting equipment, in hopes that it might help you in making a decision of what to purchase. If you would like a review of anything I currently have, or an opinion of what you're considering for your Home Theater email me and I will try and help you make a good decision. There are a number of good reference books that can provide guidlines for selecting home theater equipment, installing and using it, video system information, projectors etc. Here's some reference books, that I think you will enjoy. There are many great books which can teach you more about the principals and components involved. These recommended titles are cycled regularly to reflect current trends and my own recommendations with links to enable you to order on-line.
Basically the heart of a good Home Theater is the video source. If you don't have good clean video to start with the finest television/monitor in the world will look terrible. For Network/Cable programming a TVRO system is the preferred option, however if the size of the big dish is a problem, or you don't have a clear view of the Clarke Belt, then a DBS system can be used. DBS signals area received with a TVRO system at their headend (now you know why TVRO preferred) then compressed and sent to a high-powered satellite via an uplink then received by your small dish. All this extra signal processing adds some noise and compression reduces the video resolution, but the output video will still be better than over-the-air (OTA) or what any cable system can provide. Go here for listing of the channels that are available on satellite television (TVRO) and here for a current list of all the satellites you can receive with your TVRO dish in North America. The only satellite receiver available right now that can offer you the widest choice of channels is General Instrument's (GI) 4DTV. This satellite receiver will allow you to receive, In-The-Clear (ITC), Videocipher-II Plus (VC2+), and Digicipher (digital) channels. It also is the only TVRO receiver that has the ability to provide HDTV signals, however it will need additional electronics to do so. What size dish? The important factor in selecting a dish is satellite spacing, which is 2 degrees apart, the pointing accuracy of a 7.5' dish is 2.6 degrees, a 10' dish is 1.9 degrees, and a 12' dish is 1.6 degrees, thus a 10' or larger dish is required, anything smaller and you will receive adjacent satellite interference. I just can NOT understand why 7.5' dishes are offered. No amount of electronics, either in the receiver or the LNB can make up for dish size, the larger the dish the more signal you will collect and this will give you an acceptable rain-fade margin as well. The mount on the dish should be Horizon to Horizon, this will allow you to see all the Atlantic (East) and Pacific (West) satellites viewable from your location. An Actuator Arm will cover the domestic satellites but it can not move the dish far enough East or West to see these additional satellites. The LNB (Low Noise Block converter) should be the lowest temperature or decibel with the highest gain currently manufactured, however once you reach the noise temperature of the dish, lower LNB temperatures will have no noticeable effect.
For pre-recorded movies Digital Video Disc (DVD) offers greater resolution and cleaner video than Laser Disc (LD), however the selection of movies available on DVD is limited by it's newness and the lack of total support by all the major studios. Laser Disc might be the best choice right now as it has the advantage of having many, many more titles available (12,000+ vs. ~500 as of 10/97), and many titles and special editions that may never be released on DVD. SPECIAL UPDATE:
Look for the capacity in both LD & DVD to freeze single frames (Digital Memory), it should be capable of this in both the CLV (Constant Linear Velocity) and CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) formats. Dual side play is also a must for LD, this is the ability to play both sides without having to turn the disc over. Many of the movies released on laser disc are less than two hours in length, which means that you can watch the entire film, if it is in CLV format, on one disc, without leaving your seat. If you want to record than a good S-VHS (Super-VHS) Video Tape Recorder (VTR) is the only way to go. This will provide you with the ability to record and playback as near to the original signal quality as possible, although the picture is not quite as good as laser disc. Super-VHS VCRs will play standard VHS tapes as well, automatically sensing their presence in the machine (most pre-recorded movies are in the standard VHS format). A Super-VHS VCR will have at least one S-Video output & input in the back. Note it is not feasible to encode AC-3 (Dolby Digital) onto VHS tapes. Standard VHS Cassette Records do not offer the resolution or picture quality necessary for use in a Home Theater and should be avoided. Recordable DVD (Digital Video Disc) should be available by the year 2000 to the consumer market.
Now that you have a source for great video you need something that will display all you have to offer. I tend to stay away from Rear-Projectors (R/P) the quality although getting better, still can't compare to a Direct-View (DV) for sharpness, plus the "roller-coaster" effect of scrolling credits, etc just can't be avoided on a R/P. If it's size your after, then look at a Front-Projector (F/P), these have the ability to offer a great looking picture at a large size, especially when used with a line-doubler. With front projection, you can even get a perforated screen and place the front three speakers (left, center, right) out of sight behind it, just like in a movie theater. The disadvantage here is that the room must be totally dark, as any stray light reaching the screen will compromise the picture quality. Direct-Views (DV) offer great resolution, and an adequate size (32"-40") for most rooms. One thing to look for is a Digital Comb Filter, this will reduce the "rainbow-effect" that occurs when displaying pin-stripe type patterns. Any television or monitor you choose will need to be professionally calibrated or see my do it yourself calibration in order for it to meet true NTSC standards. UPDATE: If you're thinking of purchasing a large screen television, either upgrading or for a new home theater set-up, after August 1998 I think you would be better off waiting for HDTV. Currently HDTV television are now available in small quantities, however no HDTV video playback/recordable devices are available to the consumer at this time - FYI: DVD is not fully compliant with the HDTV standard. Network and local affiliate stations are currently making preparation for the transition to HDTV transmission and will start HDTV broadcasts in September 1998. Once HDTV broadcasts start, the entire HDTV rollout will snowball. The NTSC televisions available now have a finite lifespan and will cease to receive any broadcasts once the switch is made before January 1, 2007. - See the FCC's HDTV web site for additional information and time table.
Okay, now you have the video all taken care of let's look at the sound system. Since sound is 1/2 of the movie experience using the speakers & amplifier in the television, no matter how good they proclaim they are, is NOT an acceptable solution for reproducing the Dolby Digital (AC-3)/Pro-Logic soundtrack. What's more important the speakers or the amplifier? The answer is their both equally important, great speakers can't reproduce true clean sound if the amplifier is delivering distorted signals. What to look for; THX Certified - this is kind of like the "Good-House-Keeping" seal of approval for Home Theater equipment, it means the equipment or speakers have passed the stringent THX testing program. THX-licensed processors use special equalization in all channels, and "decorrelation" of the surround channel to increase its diffusion. THX-licensed speaker systems must meet directivity criteria and other performance requirements. THX-licensed amplifiers are designed so that, in conjunction with THX-licensed speakers, your home theater can achieve virtually the same loudness levels reached in movie theaters.
SPEAKER PLACEMENT Left and Right Speakers Center Speaker Surround Speakers Finding the right balance of direct and reflected sound means considering speaker placement, room design, and the acoustic characteristics of both. If you use direct or dipole radiating surround speakers, place them on the side walls alongside the seating position, two or three feet above seated listeners' heads. If the seating area is unusually deep, two surround speakers along each side instead of one may be desirable. In most cases, direct radiating surround speakers should be aimed straight across the room towards each other, not down at the listeners, to create a proper blend of direct and reflected sound. If the room is unusually "live" (with lots of bare sound-reflecting surfaces), it may be advisable to tilt the surround speakers down slightly towards the listeners, to increase the ratio of direct to reflected sound for greater clarity. Conversely, in a particularly "dead" room (thick, sound-absorbing carpeting, heavy drapes, etc.), aiming the speakers toward the rear wall or ceiling can increase reflections for greater diffuseness. There are also many so-called "dipole" designs that radiate most of their sound to the front and rear, placing the listeners in a "null" so that comparatively little direct sound reaches them. These units generally work best when mounted on the side walls as recommended for direct radiating surround speakers. As their soundfield consists mostly of back and front wall reflections, however, dipole designs are more dependent on the room and its acoustics than conventional models. For Dolby Digital (AC-3) and DTS both the left and right surround channels, should be capable of reproducing the full frequency range. Subwoofers SPEAKER CALIBRATION Loudness and Dynamic Range Time Delay Time Delay Formula: T = Nd + Df - Ds, where T is the delay setting, Speaker Level Relative channel levels should assume each speaker delivers identical acoustic sound pressure levels (SPL) to the listener, excluding the LFE (Low Frequency Effects) channel that is intended for reproduction at +10 dB SPL with respect to the main channels Start the test tone and adjust the main volume control so that you get a 75dB reading at your prime listening position (sweet spot) from the front left and right speakers, then adjust the level of the center, right rear, & left rear, to match 75dB SPL, then adjust the subwoofer to 85dB this means changing the scale on your SPL meter up one notch. Also set the crossover frequency on the subwoofer to 80Hz (if you have a THX system) this is the point in the audio spectrum where the main Left, Center, and Right speakers are cut, and the subwoofer takes over. This will set your system to the THX "reference" level which will produce a maximum spl of 110dB during playback. NOTE: If you're using the Video Essentials disc DO NOT adjust the levels on the subwoofer channel to 85dB - the pink noise on Video Essentials is already set to where you can use the 75dB setting for all 6 channels (if you're using Avia you'll need to set all the channels to 85 dB to acheive the same reference level). In other words, the pink noise recording on the Video Essentials disc is -10dB from the normal levels, so that you can use the same 75dB SPL for the subwoofer instead of 85dB. Also you should be aware of the fact that the Avia DVD relies on having your receiver redirecting the subwoofer signals (ie. setting your speakers to "small") for LFE calibration, it doesn't have a separate LFE track like the Video Essentials DVD/LD. AVIA is NOT intended to calibrate a system where you have main channel speakers capable of reproducing all of the low bass content (full range speakers), and use the subwoofer strictly for LFE information - I think this is a MAJOR mistake or oversight on the Avia disc. When your speakers are set to 75 dB SPL, you can enjoy a much more faithful reproduction of motion picture program material by setting volume control to "REFERENCE". This will recreate the same field of sound as in the film recording studio. Cinema ReQ The first, "Re-equalization," compensates for the effect of reproducing sounds in a smaller room that have been originally processed for a large movie theater with high-frequency equalization. Without this process, the sound levels would be skewed toward the higher frequencies, making the sound seem overly "hissy" or brilliant. Unlike a large theater, the smaller video-viewing rooms in a home would not acoustically attenuate those "highs." Home THX Re-equalization restores the original flat-response characteristics before the signals are amplified and used to drive loudspeakers. Basically the highs are boosted on the orginal soundtrack to compensate for the loss going through the screen and to some extent that which is absorbed by the audience. THX Cinema ReQ only affects the three front channels (left, center, right). Here's the frequency adjustment numbers to look at. They allow you to see how much boost you're hearing without some form of Re-equalization. |
Hz |
dB |
| 20 | 0.0 |
| 100 | 0.0 |
| 500 | 0.0 |
| 1k | 0.0 |
| 2k | - 0.2 |
| 3k | - 0.4 |
| 4k | - 0.7 |
| 5k | - 1.1 |
| 6k | - 1.8 |
| 8k | - 2.8 |
| 10k | - 4.2 |
| 12k | - 5.2 |
| 16k | - 5.4 |
| 20k | - 5.8 |
Now that you have all the equipment you need to connect it together somehow, right?. Interconnects are the last place in your system you can make a difference, but don't get carried away with all the hype you hear about Super-Monsterous-Plus-Cable making all the difference in the world. However, good cables do make a difference. When you get down to it wire is wire is wire, but there are some small differences when it comes to construction of the cables. You should always use good quality interconnects (the interconnects that come with the equipment, if any, should usually be tossed out), look for gold plated RCA/BNC/S-VIDEO connectors (gold plating stops corrosion), spring strain reliefs at the connector ends will help protect the wire, speaker wire should be 10 or 12 gauge copper with gold plated connections, connectors should be marked on both ends so they are easily identified, usually yellow=video, black=left, red=right. Various insulators are used in good quality cables and the type of insulator has a direct effect on the capacitance of the wire (the lower, the better) - polypropylene is good, and Teflon is the best. Another factor called the "skin effect" can degrade sound quality, this term refers to the fact that signals travels differently at the surface (skin) of the conductor than it does near the center. If the conductor is thick, the skin effect can degrade the sound quality. Thus, many thin conductors (small diameter strands of conductor, each isolated from the others) is the desired alternative. The whole problem of cables and high fidelity can be quite complex. However, the best way to begin choosing cables is by testing models/designs that have low resistance, capacitance, & inductance and let your ears be the judge.
Each piece of equipment has it's own remote and the basic idea here is to have one remote to control everything... almost. What you actually want is a remote to handle the everyday items, stuff you do all the time ie. channel up/down, volume, switching video inputs, etc. Keep you original remote on the shelf to do the things you only do once-in-a-while ie. Dolby speaker level test, configuring the equipment, etc. A pre-programmed remote can only handle the equipment they were designed for, and nothing else. A learning remote will learn the signals to duplicate any command or sequence of commands you want, the disadvantage is you have to spend the time to initially set them up, but in the long run it will be well worth the effort. The Marantz RC-2000 Learning Remote (now RC-2000-Plus with twice the storage memory) is by far the best solution to this problem. It has the capability to learn just about any infrared command from any remote control. The RC-2000 is not your every-day learning remote, with 56 automatically back-lit buttons it's more of a computer processor with functions such as MACRO programming and a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD).
With all this high-tech electronic equipment it's essential to provide it with good clean power. A small Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) will do this as well as provide you with a means to safely turn off the equipment in the event of a power failure. A UPS should protect you from spikes, surges, & brown-outs.
Now let's distribute the signals to all the other televisions in the house, so you can watch simultaneously a Laser Disc in the main room, have a TVRO channel on in the bedroom, a VCR tape in the kitchen and an over-the-air (OTA) channel in the den. There is only one solution to this problem "Channel Plus", ask for it by name, accept no substitutes. Channel Plus offers a whole line of video/audio distribution units that will take a variety of input signals (RF, Composite, S-Video), modulate them on any channel you want (VHF/UHF), combine the signal with your local OTA over-the-air channels and/or cable service and send them on one coax cable (min. RG-6) to all the televisions in the house. You will probably need several Channel Plus units chained together if you want to distribute everything from the main room to the rest of the house. Other manufactures offer similar type products, but the Channel Plus units are by far the very best available. Most of the others don't use a Quarts Phase-lock-loop and the output channels will constantly drift as the ambient temperature changes. Also the amplifiers used in lesser units add quite a bit of noise to the video, which quickly becomes unacceptable when you try to chain a few of them together. Adjacent channel interference is also a concern with these inferior units if you are trying to place your channel next to an existing channel you will get a lot of crosstalk between the two channels.
VIDEO DISTRIBUTION
This is a list of manufacturers mentioned above, they can provide you with detailed information, and additional specifications for your perusal. Since product lines change often it's best to check with the manufacture before purchasing anything to make sure you're getting the current model, and there's nothing coming along with additional features/improvements that will replace it any time soon.
DVD Reviews - I review the discs for quality of the video and audio transfer, supplemental material, etc, since most people generally already know what the movie they are going to buy is about. If you want a critical review of the movie's content (story, acting) then go to Roger Ebert's Homepage, or Movie Review Query Engine, also The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is a great resource for all kinds of movie information. Also Leonard Maltin's Movie & Video Guide is an excellent printed source. I have include some of the titles that I currently have in my Laser Disc (LD) collection here. Also this is my current Digital Video Disc (DVD) collection - if you see a disc in my collection you would like a review of just email me your suggestions.
In December of 1996 the FCC approved the U.S. DTV standard. By the January 1, 2007 all US television stations will be required to abandon NTSC and transmit in the HDTV format only. High Definition Television (HDTV) represents the largest change in television technology since the conversion from black & white to color in 1957.
Roll-out Schedule:
Here's a few links I think you might like to read:
Digital TV signals gaining ground - available at the Mecury News. Sony joins digital TV - available at news.com. HDTV clicks - available at news.com. Future DVD products - available at news.com. Networks Ready HDTV - available at abcnews.com. Digital TV Debuts - available at abcnews.com. FCC gives license to HDTV - available at news.com. St. Louis HDTV Stations NTSC DTV DTV CARRIER CHANNEL CHANNEL FREQ. FREQUENCY KTVI-2 43 644-650 644.310* KMOV-4 56 722-728 722.310* KSDK-5 35 596-602 596.310* KETC-9 39 620-626 620.310 KPLR-11 26 542-548 542.310 KCNC-24 14 470-476 470.310 KDNL-30 31 572-578 572.310* WHSL-46 47 668-674 668.310 (*) Denotes active as of August 2002 |